An open fleece with several fiber components

The Navajo-Churro Sheep Association’s standard describes an open fleece composed of finer inner wool, coarser outer fibers and a limited proportion of kemp. It specifies an inner coat of roughly three to five inches and an outer coat of six to twelve inches. These components create a fleece that differs from a uniformly crimpy fine-wool fleece.

The standard allows a broad range of colors and patterns, as well as horned or polled animals of either sex. Where multiple horns occur, balance and clearance matter: horns should not grow into the face or interfere with the sheep’s well-being.

The sheep’s outline is often relatively narrow and long-legged, with little tendency toward the heavily fleshed appearance selected in many modern meat breeds. Bare legs, limited belly wool and an open face are part of this framework. Understanding those traits supports assessment of Navajo-Churro on its own terms rather than expecting it to resemble an unrelated improved breed.